Shammi Kapoor was on the Internet Long Before the Rest of the Country

Veteran Bollywood star Shammi Kapoor bade the final goodbye to the world on August 14.

While most people would remember him for his vibrant personality and his unique dance moves, very few of them would know that he was a tech-enthusiast who hopped on to the internet bandwagon when it came to India 15 years ago. Shammi Kapoor was the founder and chairman of Internet Users Community of India (IUCI). He had also played a major role in setting up internet organisations like the Ethical Hackers Association. He also maintained a website dedicated to the 'Kapoor family': junglee.org.in

Shammiji's connect to the networld had happened much before the VSNL introduced internet to India. And guess whom did he credit for this? It's Steve Jobs' Apple Inc. He had bought the net connection via Apple (e-apple).

“The British telecom gave us a line through VSNL, even though VSNL was not available at that time (1994). That was an eye-opener…something completely new. And by the time Internet came to India, we were already first-marchers…already sab kuch dekh liya tha,” he was quoted as saying in an interview.

After retirement, he got hooked on to computers. People asked him that post-retirement, film actors normally got addicted to “women and wine”. And guess what Shammiji replied: "Trust me I have had enough of both in my hey days,” he joked. “So I decided to do something new and different. And computers are fantastic as is internet. You guys have not yet understood the potential of both, especially internet. It will connect the world so well,” added the actor.

Shammi Kapoor realised the immense potential of the internet ages before anybody else could even figure what internet was. All his life Shammiji remained a Mac person and had little knowledge about Microsoft computers. He had all the latest gadgets (including the iPad) and was active on Facebook, Twitter and maintained his own website. He believed that internet was the best medium to stay connected with friends and family. In fact, there's a story that he found a lost friend on the internet after a period of 50 years.

In his Malabar Hills house in Mumbai he had a huge 32” computer screen and a Bluetooth keyboard and a Bluetooth mouse rested on this lap while he wheeled around in his room. The actor has to stick to a wheel chair and underwent dialysis thrice a week during the last seven years or so. And there's one more good thing which technology did to him. “The moment the mouse came in my hand, the cigarette flew away…permanently,” the actor had said some time back.

We lost the legendary actor, a great innovator and a vivacious soul to chronic renal failure two days ago. But he gave us a message during his lifetime: Think beyond the ordinary and make the most of what is at hand. (MensXP.com)